University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Men's Basketball Opens Homestand against Middle Tennessee
1/14/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Southern Miss returns home for a two-game homestand, beginning this Thursday, January 15, when it hosts Middle Tennessee. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT.
Southern Miss and Middle Tennessee will meet for just the fourth time, with the Blue Raiders holding a 2-1 record. The Golden Eagles won the only meeting in Hattiesburg in 1959. This is the first-ever meeting in Reed Green Coliseum.
Southern Miss enters tonight's game with a 5-9 record, including 0-3 in Conference USA. The Black and Gold is looking to snap a six-game losing streak after falling at UTEP, 74-40.
Forward Matt Bingaya leads the Golden Eagles with 14.7 points, which is ninth in Conference USA. He is also averaging a team-high 5.5 rebounds per game. Guard Chip Armelin is second on the team with 12.8 points.
Forward Norville Carey is averaging 9.1 points and 4.4 rebounds. He is fourth in the league in field goal percentage, hitting 60.0% from the floor. Guard Rasham Suarez is scoring 6.4 points and is fifth in C-USA in assists (3.9).
The Golden Eagles are scoring 60.8 points a game but are allowing 70.2. Southern Miss is connecting on 44.0% from the floor and 33.8% from three while allowing 47.5% from the field and 36.6% from beyond the arc. The Black and Gold is also being outrebounded, 33.1-to-28.5.
Sadler is in his first season at the helm of the Southern Miss men's basketball program. He has compiled a 154-116 (.570) record in nine years as a head coach.
Middle Tennessee enters tonight's game with a 9-7 record and is 2-1 in Conference USA. The Blue Raiders have won two straight after defeating Florida Atlantic, 82-58.
Forward Reggie Upshaw is averaging 9.0 points per game and 6.1 rebounds, which both lead the team. Forward Jacquez Rozier is scoring 8.8 points and is connecting on 52.1% from the floor. Guard Edward Simpson is sixth in the league in three-point field goal percentage, connecting on 45.9%.
Middle Tennessee is averaging just 60.3 points per game while allowing 59.2, which is second in C-USA. The Blue Raiders are connecting on just 39.9% from the floor and 33.8% from three, while allowing 42.8% from the field and 33.2% from beyond the arc. Middle Tennessee is pulling down 34.1 rebounds per game, while leading Conference USA in rebounding defense (30.6).
